Self-centering spindle for serving machines



Nov. 17, 1931. H. P. ARN LD 1,832,273 I SELF CENTERING SPINDLE FOR SERVING MACHINES Filed Feb. 21, 1930 Fig.1.

lnv e nToT. Howard P Arnold ATTys.

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES HOWARD P. ARNOLD, OF ROCKLANlJ, MASSACHUSETTS SELF-CENTERING ISPIYNDLE non SERVING MACHINES i Applieation filedlebruary 21, 1930. Serial No. 430,205.

This invention relates to machines which are designed to wrap a thread or yarn around a core, such machines sometimes being re ferred to as serving machines. These ma- 6 chines usually are provided with a hollow spindle through which the "core passes and a rotatably mounted yarn carrier rotating about the spindle axis and from which is t: en the yarn, thread or other material that is wrapped about the core or with which the core is served.

If in the operation of devices of this nature the center of gravity of the yarn mass does not coincide exactly with the axis of rotation,

there will be developed a vibration in the spindle when the latter is rotating rapidly and the presence of such vibration has a limiting effect upon the speed at which the device can be practically operated.

It is the principal object of my present invention to provide a novel mounting for the spindle which will permit it to yield slightly in a lateral direction in case the rotating mass is not perfectly balanced, such lateral yielding of the spindle serving to restore the balance of the rotating mass and thus eliminate vibration.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

The device herein shown comprises a hollow nonrotary spindle member 1 which is suitably carried by a bolster member 2 that is rigidly secured in the portion 3 of the frame of the machine. The spindle 1 is hollow to permit the core 4 which is to be covered or served to pass axially therethrough.

Rotating about the spindle 1 is a yarn carrier herein shown in the form of a sleeve 5 on which is mounted a yarn-carrying element 6 herein shown in the form of a spool, the

latter having wound thereon the yarn or thread 7 which is used in serving or covering the core 4. This core is covered inrusual way .5 by rotating the yarn carrier thereby winding the yarn 7 around the core 4 as shown'at 8, the yarn being gradually drawn 01f from the spool or yarn-carrying member as the winding proceeds. V i Q In the illustrated embodiment of the inven- '55 tion the tubular member 5*has rigid there with a hub member 9 carrying a pulley'or whirl 10 around which passes a driving belt by which the yarn carrier is rotated. The yarn-carrying element may be connected to no the rotarytube 5 to rotate therewith'in any desirable way. In the present construction the hub 9 is shown as having a pin 11 rising therefrom which sets into a recess'12formed in the spool 6 so that the spool will be looked as to the hub 9 to rotate therewith.

' The yarn 7 passes from the spool 6 through a guide eye 42 carried by a flier member 13' which is loosely carried by the yarn carrier and may rotate relative thereto and from said eye the yarn passes up over the edge 43 of a head member 14 which iscarried by and rotates with the yarn carrier.

During the operation of the machine the flier member 13 will rotate at a speedslightly more than that of the spool 6, this difi'erential movement being sufiicientto allow the yarn to be unwound from the spool as fast as it is wound up on the core.

The parts thus far described may be such so as are usually found in machines of this type.

The present invention relates to a novel mounting for the spindle 1' and the'yarncarrying tube 5 which permits the spindle and tube to swing or yield slightly in a lats5 eral direction in case the spindle is slightly unbalanced thereby to restore the balance and to eliminate the vibration which results from an unbalanced condition. By this means it is possible to increase very materially the speed or rotation of the yarn carrier and consequently the output of the device without developing undue'vibration.

The non-rotating spindle 1 has rigid therewith a bearing member 15 which is supported by the bolster member 2 and'which in turn supports the step bearing 16 of the rotating tube 5. This bearing member 15 has the bearing face 17 on which the step bearing rests. The bearing member 15 is cup-shaped,

it having the cylindrical ortion 18 which sets and fits within the cy indrical walls 19 of the bolster member. These cylindrical walls 19 are made resilient radially, this preferably being done by providing the walls with vertical slits 20 which extend from the top thereof to the bottom. These slits divide the walls into sections 21 and form a cylindrical retaining wall for the bearing member 15 which is capable of slight expansion in a radial direction.

The/cylindrical portion 18 of the bearing member 15 is slightly less in diameter than the interior diameter of the cylindrical portion 19 of the bolster member and the bearing member 15 is-provided with two annular ribs 22 and 23 w ich fit tightly within the cylindrical walls 19 of the bolster member.

The bearing member 15 thus has contact with the-bolster member at the points where the ribs 22, 23 engage the walls 19 and also where the under face 24 of the bearing member engages the supporting face 25 of the bolster. These contacting faces24, 25 are curved to form a portion of asphere, the curvature being struck from about a point 26 which is in a plane between the two ribs 22,23 and also in the plane of the driving belt which encircles the whirl or pulley 10. The resilient characterof the bolster walls 19 and the curved shape of the contacting faces 24, 25 permit the bearing member 15 and the spindle supported thereby to be turned slightly within the bolster substantially about the center 26. The spindle and the rotating yarncarrying tube 5 are thus not rigidly held but are ca able of a slight lateral movement.

If urin the operation of the device the spindle is s ightly unbalanced so that a vibrat1on would be developed as the speed was increased it will be found that the manner of yieldingly supporting the yarn carrier will ermit it to shift slightly laterally and there y counteract an tendency to vibration caused by the unbalanced condition.

I have found that with this improvement it is possible to rotate the yarn carrier and flier at a very greatly increased speed withoutdeveloping undesirable vibration due to the fact that the construction permits the rotating yarn carrier to automatically center itself.

I claim: I

.1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a cup-shaped bolster member having cylindrical walls resilient in a radial direction, of means for supporting said bolster member, a bearing member supported bythe bolster member and fitting within said I resilient cylindrical walls thereof and held from rotation thereby, and a non-rotatable spindle rigid with the bearin member, said: bearing member and spind e adapted -'to' furnish a support for a rotatableyarn carrier, the resiliency of the walls of-the bolster permitting a sufiicient shifting movement of the spindle so that it centers itself during the rotation of the yarn carrier.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a rigidly-mounted cupshaped bolster member having cylindrical walls resilient in a radial direction, of a cupshaped bearing member supported by the bolster member and fitting within said cylindrical walls and held from rotation thereby, a nonrotatable spindle rigid with the bearing member, said bearing member and spindle adapted to form a sup ort for a rotatable yarn carrier, and the resiliency of the bolster walls permitting the spindle to center itself as the yarn carrier rotates.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a rigidly-mounted cupshaped bolster member having cylindrical walls provided with a plurality of vertical slits thereby makin the wall resilient in a radial direction, 0 a cup-shaped bearing member supported by the bolster member and fitting within the cylindrical walls of the bolster member and held from rotation thereby, and a non-rotatable spindle rigid with the bearing member, said bearing member and spindle adapted to furnish a support for a rotatable yarn carrier.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HOWARD P. ARNOLD. 

